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201 At the Back of the Black Man's Mind By R. E. Dennett Ifa, to speak more properly, an Odu delivers his responses in and through the channel of Parables, which every Babalawo is expected to be able to interpret. Hence it is commonly said:- Owe ni Ifa ipa, Omoran ni imo- Bi a ba wipe mo- Omoran a mo- Nigbati a ko ba mo, A ni, ko se! Ifa speaks always in parables, A wise man is he who understands his speech, When we say understand it The wise man always understands it, But when we do not understand it - We say it is of no account or the prediction is not fulfilled. A Babalawo may sometimes be seen sitting over his Ifa Bowl, attempting to consult the god and divine for an applicant who is present with him, and who, it may be, desires to know whether a business he thinks of embarking in would prosper. He uses his Ikins in the manner described above, and Eji Ogbe, the prince of all the Olodus or Odus appears. Upon this he casts lot to find out from him what the business is in regard to which he has been asked to consult him, and what the result of embarking in it would be to the applicant. The business known and its issue foretold, if this issue should be favourable, the Babalawo may sometimes be heard delivering himself thus and saying amongst other things with the authority of Eji Ogbe, of whose appearance he will have imformed the humble applicant- Bi a ba bo oju, Bi a ba bo imu Isale agbon ni a ipari re. Ada fun Orunmila nigbati o nlo gba ase l'owo Olodumare; o rubo. Olodumare si wa fi ase fun u. Nigbati gbogbo aiye gbo pe o ti gba ase l'owo Olodumare nwon si nwo to. Gbogbo eyi ti o wi si nse. Lati igba na wa ni a nwipe. A Se! "If (when) we wash the face, If (when) we wash the nose We are accustomed to finish the operation at the bottom of the chin." Ifa was consulted for Orunmila on the occasion when he would go to receive authority and power from the Almighty One and he offered the sacrifice prescribed to him. After this the Almighty One gave him authority and power. www.globalgrey.co.uk
202 At the Back of the Black Man's Mind By R. E. Dennett When the people of the world learnt that he had received authority and power from the Almighty, all of them began to flock to him, to consult him on their affairs. It was since then we have been accustomed to say "A se!" - "It will be as predicted." Opele, or Opepere, is an Oracle of inferior rank to Ifa, and who is regarded as his constant attendant and is commonly spoken of as his slave. He is always represented by eight flat pieces of wood, or metal, or something else, strung together in two rows of four on each side, placed at equal distances from each other and joined together. The disposition of one or other of these pieces when the whole ensign is thrown and made to spread out upon the ground would represent at once a particular Odu; and one of Opele's chief duties is to show to the Babalawo what particular Odu he should consult upon a case referred to him. Opele is often and frequently thus consulted by Babalawos, who usually carry about them its ensigns, because, consulting it carries with it less labour than, and is not so difficult as the work of consulting the Master, Ifa, himself; but this would be on matters of minor importance, and its response would be that of a servant for his master, and which is not always absolutely relied upon. Opele is expected to be referred to and consulted every morning that a devotee might know whether the day would be for him prosperous or not and, if it should be seen to be a non-prosperous one, what sacrifice he should offer to conciliate the goodwill of his divinity in order that he might convert the day to a prosperous one for him, and also, that he might generally secure the blessing of his guidance and other assistance throughout the day; whilst a Babalawo is expected to ordinarily consult his Ifa every fifth day, which is the close of a week of Oses or worshipping days. Hence the parable runs:- (1) Oju mo ki mo ki Awo ma sode wo Agbede a gbon ada- (2) Bi oni ti ri, ola ki ri be, li o mu ki Babalawo ma da Ifa ororun. (1) "There is never a morning when a Babalawo or a consulting Priest does not consult his Opele, as there is never a morning that a blacksmith is not called upon to sharpen a cutlass for a farmer." (2) "The possibility of to-morrow not being like to-day in regard to the events which may transpire in it, is what induces a Babalawo to consult his Ifa and sacrifice to it every fifth day." There are three grades of priests. As the sacred nuts are given by Babalawos in two sets of sixteen Ikins and one Oduso to applicants, those who receive only the first set, which is called "The Olori," or Chief, form one grade, and this is the first. Those who receive both the first and the second, which is called "The Orisa," or the next in rank, make another, the second grade; and those who have, each one with his right foot in conjunction with those of his own Babalawo's, and any of his fellow or senior www.globalgrey.co.uk
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AT THE BACK OF THE BLACK MAN'S MIND
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TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE CHAPTER I
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